Plot Bunnies
by butterfly.cell
Summary: Current: 'Save Us - Jack may save the day, but sometimes he saves them by the skin of his teeth, especially when it comes to saving Ianto. Song fic for Feeder' The home of the Plot Bunnies! Ratings may vary, individual ratings are on each story. Jack/Iant
1. Lyra the Badwolf I

This is where I'm going to post all my plot bunnies! As I only have one in at the moment, I'm not sure what they'll be like as a majority, so this first one's fairly long because of the plot I was given, and the way I felt it should be written in. If you get given a plot bunny for whatever reason (I may just hand them out when I feel like it) it'll appear up here, so keep a look out!

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**Owner**: Lyra the Badwolf

**Earned for**: Naming Competition

**Bunny's Name**: Hermann

**Timeline**: AU set sometime after 2x01

**Pairings**: Jack/Ianto (duh, it's not like I write any other ones!)

**Rating**: T/K+

**Author's Note**: I actually really liked writing this, it's something i never would've thought to come up with (even though me and Lyra were on the same wavelength for most of it). It gave me a chance to really write Ianto the way I think he is, even if the way it's presented isn't the most conventional. Hopefully you guys will all like it!

I'd like to say now that if any of the welsh below is complete and utter bollocks, then please tell me! I thought it would be appropriate to have some in, so I used an English to Welsh translator I found via google, so I'm well aware that it could be complete trash. So if it's wrong and you can correct it for me, pleeease PM me and tell me so we can discuss it!

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**Disclaimer**: I literally own nothing below! The plot belongs to Lyra the Badwolf, and the characters belong to Russel T. Davies

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**Take This to Your Grave**

The first thing Jack noticed was the way Ianto's regular coffee rounds slipped. The usually bang on timing of the young man became just a little sloppy, loosening by a few minutes each way. Jack doubted any of the others would notice it, but having spent so much time with Ianto recently, he could tell there was something bothering him.

Fortunately, the coffee never suffered, and his standard of work didn't fail at all, just the time scales. He was having an 'off' week. To Jack's knowledge, he'd only ever had an 'off' week twice before in his history at Torchwood 3. It wasn't as if Ianto didn't deserve to have an 'off' day, or even an 'off' week for that matter, it was that all three had occurred at roughly the same time each year. Ianto had only worked there for two and a half years, but when he wasn't up to scratch, it was noticeable.

At first, Jack assumed it was because he felt bad for Gwen, sympathetic and perhaps a little bit guilty about being the one to betray Jack's trust and tell her about the island. He'd given Ianto a bit of a hard time after his last return from the place, unavoidably annoyed at him. He hadn't meant to show he was angry at him, but Ianto was one of those people who could pick up emotions that weren't expressed. Ianto had dutifully left him alone after that, despite the fact that inside Jack needed him, as always, to ease the guilt and sorrow he felt after his trips. That one had been particularly bad, just because of Gwen's meddling.

The next day, Jack pulled him to one side and apologised, kissing him affectionately to say he was sorry. It had brought a smile to young man's face and the bad feelings were wiped away. The day had gone on as normal and Jack had thought everything was good between them.

The next day, Ianto turned up a little late to his office asking if he wanted his first cup of coffee. That was the day when Ianto started to become distracted.

Now, Jack, being the nosey and slack-moralled individual that he was, thought Ianto's day off meant his day off. Usually, Jack stayed at work until mid afternoon when he'd take a stroll round to the young man's flat on his own accord. Ianto would then let him in and they'd get up to things that were far more comfortable on Ianto's plush double bed than on Jack's single in his sleep space. Looking forward to the promise of an evening with Ianto, he approached the man a few days before.

"So, what time shall I come over on Sunday?" He'd moved behind the young man and slipped his arms round his waist, resting his chin on Ianto's shoulder as he spoke.

"What's happening on Sunday?" Ianto settled back into his arms comfortably.

"It's the 13th? Your day off?" Jack felt the young man tense a little, his back straightening and his neck getting a little tauter from the effort of trying not to show what had just happened.

"Oh, right. I expect I'll be sleeping all day, this week's really taken it out of me." Ianto made no move to leave Jack's arms, but the tone of his voice gave Jack the clear indication that he shouldn't come over at the weekend. Jack simply let him go and shrugged his shoulders. "Jack, I don't mean it like that! I just really think I'll be fast asleep all day, and I know that's not much fun for you."

Ianto looked at him earnestly, a little worried at Jack's reaction. He just smiled then, kissing Ianto's lips gently and nodding. "It's okay, I know what you mean. You better get a good rest, I want you in top shape on Monday morning."

Ianto smiled and headed off to make the coffees. _He's about five minutes out, including my intervention, so three minutes minimum?_ Jack stood and watched Ianto for a moment before heading off to his office where he let go of his curiosity and his mind wandered off to find an explanation for Ianto's behaviour.

Jack didn't realise until the Saturday that Ianto's day off coincided perfectly with his slightly unusual behaviour. He decided then it was fair game to play a little bit of 'Private Detective Harkness' with Ianto. The night before Ianto was due to be off work, Jack orchestrated his master plan.

He was going to take one of the civilian cars in the garage and park just up the road from Ianto's block of flats. From there, he'd watch to see whether Ianto left the house at all, and if he did, he'd follow him at a safe distance. He then added a side note to his plan in his jotter pad: 'Put a tracker device on Ianto's car and follow on GPS.' Ianto wasn't stupid, he'd notice if the same car was in the traffic behind him for the entire journey.

If Ianto stayed at home, he'd simply call him at about 6:00 pm and ask whether he wanted to go out for dinner. That would not only put him in Ianto's good books, especially as he still owed the man a date, but it would help ease the guilt he'd no doubt be feeling at the spying he'd just participated in.

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The next morning, at about 7 o'clock, Jack pulled out of the garage in a plain silver hatchback and drove over to Ianto's block of flats. He reasoned that if Ianto was going to go anywhere, he'd do it early in the day or late in the evening. Knowing Ianto the way he did, he knew the Welshman was more than awake enough in the morning to go on a trip.

Jack looked at his clock mid afternoon and realised he had really misjudged his timings, thinking that maybe Ianto was just sleeping in. He was about to slink off when Ianto appeared at the door to the building in casual clothes with a back pack slung over one of his shoulders. He looked up and down the street and then headed over to his car, quickly getting in and revving the engine. Jack turned on the GPS, watched as the car pulled out to make sure the action was mimicked on the screen, and pulled out of his own parking space, two cars behind Ianto's.

He trailed the young man through Cardiff, constantly swapping positions in the traffic, and out onto the motorway. He soon found himself on the way to Cardigan, on the west coast of the country, wondering just what it was that was drawing Ianto there.

The further they went, the more intrigued the Captain became. He was so intent on getting there, he nearly lost sight of Ianto's car, but regained it just in time. By the end of the journey, he was bursting to call the young man's phone to see what he'd say if asked about the little trip. When they pulled off the motorway, he was quite glad to be getting another step further to his goal.

Now they were in the countryside, Jack had to be careful to keep at a distance that was both close enough to keep Ianto in sight and far enough to not be seen. He suspected that Ianto would be fairly distracted anyway, but it was better to be safe than sorry. They drove on a little further and eventually reached a little village, the type with cobbled streets and quaint little houses, some even with thatched roofs.

Jack parked his car in the pub car park and climbed out, looking at the GPS signal on the screen in his hand. He set off at a brisk walk to where Ianto's car had now come to a halt, several hundred meters from where he was at the moment. As Jack made his way down the road, he realised he was heading to the village church. As his mind started racing, he kept enough sense about him to drop to a slower pace and be more cautious with his movements.

He crept closer to the old building, passing Ianto's abandoned car and looking around. He felt a shiver run down his spine and looked around quickly. The rift didn't come out this far, so there shouldn't be anything alien around. No, what had given him the shiver was the fact that he was standing on the edge of a graveyard.

It looked like one of the oldest cemeteries he'd seen for a long time, covered in broken and weathered headstones and statues, most of which were so badly damaged that the words on them were hardly legible. He scanned the grounds and saw a figure standing a way off from him in the newer section of the graveyard, his back turned. Taking his chance, Jack darted forwards until he was about five meters from Ianto and crouched behind a bulky marble table with some inscriptions around the edges, it's ornate botanical carvings a little clogged with mud and debris.

He carefully leaned around the side to watch the young man, and he felt a jolt of alarm when he found Ianto crouching on the floor and gently running his fingers over the headstone in front of him, cleaning the letters out so that he could read them. Jack could just make out what they said:

_Dylan Grigor Jones  
__1957 – 2003_

_Beloved husband  
__And  
__Devoted father_

"_Bucheddais a caredig ,  
__namyn Ewyllysia beunydd berthyn i 'm bau"_

So this was the grave of Ianto's father. He talked occasionally of him, fondly, but had never said that he'd passed away, just that he lived in the country somewhere. Ianto didn't like to get specific about it, so Jack respected him and kept his distance from the matter. Jack knew the last sentence was in Welsh, and he was silently cursing himself for not being able to red it. Had it been any other day, he would've simply called Ianto and asked him, but it wasn't a good plan for the stalker to ask the stalkee about something they were looking at.

"'I have lived and loved, but I will always belong to my country'… That's you all over, isn't it?" Ianto had read out the inscription in English, clearing up the dilemma Jack had found himself in, but now he was even more intent to listen. Ianto had settled himself a few feet back from the headstone, cross-legged on the floor. His hands were twisting in his lap and Jack felt an almost overwhelming need to take him in his arms and comfort him. He managed to restrain himself as Ianto started to talk again.

"I never realised it was this time of year again until a couple of weeks ago. It's been kind of hectic at work the last few months. Remember Jack? I told you about him last year, about how he gave me a job? Well he disappeared for a while and then just turned up again out of the blue. It was a bit of a shock to be honest, I thought I was completely over him but no. There he was standing behind me with his gun pointing at the blowfish he'd just shot.

"It's weird. He's the one that shot Lisa, the one that killed her. I know the others joined in, but it was him who fired the first bullet. I never thought I'd feel like this about the person who killed her… I didn't think anything would happen between us, not after what I did and said. I guess I just got lucky." Jack watched as Ianto started to smile to himself, looking intently at the welsh inscription on the stone, seemingly slipping into his memories.

"You see, he's completely different to everyone else I've ever been with… He's completely spontaneous and mad, but he's so caring and he seems to know what I'm thinking before I do sometimes. You would've liked him, Dad, I know you would." Jack couldn't help but smile to himself. He carefully settled himself down into a position that wouldn't cause his muscles to cramp up, sensing that Ianto would be a while here. He quickly returned to watching and listening, finding it nice to hear him speak so freely.

"Well yeah, we've been kind of together since he got back from where ever it was he vanished off to, but it's never been anything serious to him. The closest we got was dancing at Gwen's wedding. She finally got married to Rhys, after a load of trouble with an alien wanting to rip her open… But you probably don't want to hear any details." He trailed off a little and thought to himself for a while before sighing and carrying on.

"I went back to the Electro too, remember that place? We used to go on Saturday mornings to watch the old cartoons… Well they opened it back up, and I was going to ask Jack to go with me, but I couldn't find him… So I went with Gwen and Owen, though neither of them seemed particularly interested. I guess it was good that Jack wasn't there, I don't doubt that he'd have reverted to some sort of teenager, trying to get some at the back of the cinema!" Ianto chuckled to himself and Jack marvelled at the strength it must be taking him to get this off his chest.

"That was a crap day… So many people died because I wasn't fast enough… Jack only managed to save a little boy. His entire family was dead, but he was alive, and that's all that mattered. We managed to save someone, so it was worth it. I just don't see how sometimes. We do all this, give our lives to something that we can't understand, saving people across the city, the country even, people who'll never know who you are, or what you're even doing because they can't know. No-one can know.

"That's why being with Jack is so good, we can talk about anything. Not that we do talk about work, but it's nice to know the option's there if we want to. Something happened the other day, with Gwen and these missing people. She found out about this island where Jack's set up a sort of hospital to care for the ones who get thrown back out of the rift. She wouldn't drop it so I gave her the location… He was so pissed at me after that, I just knew it. He didn't say anything, he was just pissed." His voice dropped away again. The smile that had been on his face fell and his brow furrowed as he looked down at his hands.

"I didn't mean to make him angry… I just knew that Gwen wouldn't stop 'til she found out… Owen and Tosh would've found out about it too then… I just figured that one person out of three wasn't as bad as three out of three. I didn't mean to make him angry, Dad. I know you always brought me up to keep my promises, like mam would've wanted, but I couldn't keep that one… I just couldn't."

Ianto was quiet for a long time then, looking up at the trees and listening as the breeze whistled through the barren twigs. His eyes were distant, somewhere far in his fast, probably with his dad. Jack shifted his position to stop his legs from cramping up and gently started to move his muscles whilst he waited for Ianto to start speaking again. The cold was beginning to set in now, and he shuffled a little impatiently. It must've been coming close to an hour of silence when Jack saw him start to speak again.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Dad. You were always the one who set me straight when things went wrong, but it's been five years and no-one's ever been as good as you for sorting me out. When you were gone, Lisa was there to help as best she could… When she went, there was no-one, no-one to keep me safe. Jack's not like that. What we have isn't like what me and Lisa had, it's not deep enough for that. There's been so many times when I've just wanted him to be like that, to be a proper partner, but he'd never do it, and I don't blame him.

"He can't bloody die, so why should he settle for someone who can? I just don't understand why I can go to work every day knowing that eventually we'll all leave and he'll be left alone? How can I let myself get attached to him when I know it's going to end in tears?" He was crying now, silent tears starting to fall gently across his cheeks as he stared at the welsh words again, seeming to find comfort in them. He was quiet for another long stretch of time, the longest stretch of time that Jack had ever felt.

"I think I love him, Dad. Honest to God, I've tried not to, I really have… but I can't help it. It's so much different to what I felt for Lisa, so much stronger. Every time I see him, it just feels right, you know?" Jack's leg twitched involuntarily as the impulse to go and kiss the young man raced through him. He didn't know that Ianto felt this way, that he thought Jack's affections were so shallow. He couldn't exactly blame him though, he'd rarely showed more than a flirtatious lust for the young man. He let his shield slip a few times; the kiss after his resurrection, the kiss in his office after Tommy's fate was revealed and the dance at the wedding. He wished he'd let it slip more often now. Had he known how much he tormented Ianto, he would've stopped pretending a long time ago.

"I could ramble on and on about work and Jack, but I know you're probably sick to death of it by now, pardon the pun. I really miss you, Dad…" Jack watched as Ianto climbed to his feet and brushed his fingers over the carved words again, lingering a little on the 'Jones' before reluctantly pulling his hand away from the cold stone and pushing them deep in the pockets of his jeans. "Dan chyfarfyddwn ail…"

Jack silently made his way around the stone table to a side where Ianto wouldn't be able to see him, and settled down to watch as the young man turned and headed back to the church, slowly passing through the rows of headstones, respectful for the dead buried beneath them.

It was a few minutes until Jack heard the car's engine start up and the crunch of tyres on gravel as Ianto drove off. He sat still for a moment longer before getting up and making his way over to the now deserted grave, reading the welsh sentence to himself and taking in the dark grey marble in front of him. He felt a little strange to be standing in front of such a personal thing to Ianto, but he felt the need to take a closer look, to pay his respects.

"Hello, sir." He was startled at the automated formality he came out with, suddenly feeling like a teenager introduced to his boyfriend's strict parents for the first time. "My name's Jack, and I'm good friends with your son, Ianto. I know he's told you a lot about me, but I just want to clear it up for you a bit. I really do care about your son, sir, and I'm always going to be there for him, to help him when he needs it. I'm going to look after him, sir, don't worry… and… I think I love him too."

Jack stood and looked at the headstone for a few more minutes, contemplating his final realisation, before bowing his head a little and making his way back to the church and through the village to his car. On any other day, he would've gone into the pub for a beer, but right now, he wanted to get back to Cardiff as soon as possible and be with Ianto.

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Jack spent the drive home thinking solidly about what he'd heard in the graveyard. How could he have been so cavalier and uncaring about Ianto's feelings? How hadn't he seen how much Ianto cared for him before? How had he missed all the little things he did for him?

The same thoughts went over and over in his head until he realised that the sky was starting to get a little darker, and the streetlamps started to flicker into life. He realised that he was almost back now, and quickly checked the GPS signal on Ianto's car. He was making his way through the city centre to his building, finally stopping.

Without a chance to rethink the decision, Jack dialled Ianto's mobile phone and hooked it through his ear piece so he was on hands free. Finally, the call was answered

"Hello?" Ianto's voice was a little choked on the other end.

"Ianto, it's Jack." He took a deep breath and let it out quietly.

"Oh, hey Jack. Sorry, I couldn't find my phone for a minute there. What can I help you with?" Ianto's voice had slipped back into his work tone, obviously thinking that Jack wanted to talk to him about work.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go on that date tonight?" He heard a sharp intake of breath on the other side of the phone that had been muffled quite well.

"Uhh… Sure." He was obviously trying to keep himself under control, and Jack allowed himself a small smile.

"Great, I'll come round and get you in a bit." Without giving him a chance to reply, Jack cut the call and concentrated on driving again, heading straight to Ianto's flat.

* * *

Jack knocked on Ianto's front door and when the young man opened it, he smiled at him. Ianto gave him a strange look, obviously noticing the way he was standing. The way his usually bubbling confidence had been deflated subtly. He had hoped it wouldn't show, but obviously he'd been hoping in vain.

"I'm almost ready, come in and have a seat." Ianto smiled back and gestured inside, closing the door as Jack stepped through. He was about to walk off to his bedroom when Jack reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him around to look him in the eyes.

"I don't care if you can't die, Ianto…" He'd thrown caution to the wind, and when he saw Ianto's face twist into a vague panic, he realised that he'd have to face the consequences of the day's actions.

"Please don't tell me-" His voice shook with a suppressed emotion and he hesitantly kept his eyes locked with Jack's. _That emotion isn't anger… it's not pain or sorrow… It's fear…_ Jack's mind was moving through thoughts as he took in the look of pure vulnerability that had captured Ianto's features.

"I followed you… I wanted to know why you'd been distracted at work, why you didn't want me to come over today." He looked steadily at Ianto and watched as the young man composed himself a little more and straightened up, eyes still locked with his. "I just wanted you to know that I don't care if you can't die, I don't care if all we have is this evening because at least we'd be together."

Jack gently let go of Ianto's wrist and took a good look at the man. He was wearing a casual white shirt with the top button undone, showing the dark grey t-shirt underneath and the beaded necklace he wore on his days off, and a pair of now slightly muddy jeans. He took one final look at those beautiful blue eyes before turning and heading over to the door.

At least, that's what he tried to do. He felt all breath leave him as Ianto's hand caught his arm and stopped him from moving forwards. He turned slowly and face the Welshman again, slightly fearful, and felt Ianto's hand move down his arm and onto his, their fingers linking together. The young man took a step forwards and his free hand came up the trace the buttons on Jack's shirt gently, the vulnerability flooding back to him.

Jack took his free arm and wrapped it around Ianto's waist, pulling him closer. He looked at the young man for a moment before he felt lips brush his, pulling him slowly into a kiss which deepened and became more passionate than any they'd shared before.

It was then that Jack realised that he'd done the right thing. He would never realise how close he'd been to losing the man in his arms, but he would never again take Ianto Jones for granted.


	2. enzymion

**Owner**: enzymion

**Earned for**: Naming Competition

**Bunny's Name**: Baxter

**Timeline**: After 1x06, Before 1x10

**Pairings**: Jack/Ianto

**Rating**: T/K+

**Author's Note**: I know this is alot shorter than the other one, but it's just the way this on evolved, please don't get mad! It was quite cool to write it, as again, it's not something I would normally come up with. I think just the fact taht it's set before series 2 is a testament to that. I had to do some research into what exactly happened, as I'm going to confess now that I didn't watch the majority of the Doctor Who episodes with Jack in... I only watched the very very final one when Rose brings him back to life.

I must say thanks for that, becasue to make sure I got it as accurate as possible, I had to go back and try and find Jack's scenes from DW 1, which I did! Some amazing person has compiled all Jack scenes from each episode into a video and posted them on youtube, so not only did I get to remember how much I loved Christopher Eccelston, I got to watched Jack with his tragic crew cut... SO glad he grew that out... You have no idea! It's still a little short in the first few episodes, but at least it straights out by Cyberwoman!

Okay, I'll stop babbling so you can read!

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**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything below, it belongs to various different people, Russel T. Davies being the main guy. Though I must say, I'm not particularly impressed by Donna atm, please sort that out?

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**What Not To Watch**

_That has got to be one of THE most disgusting dresses I've ever seen…_Ianto watched, half amazed, as the poor woman currently being subjected to the torture of a wardrobe overhaul was forced into a floral patterned, hippy style smock. He was unconsciously cringing away from the television, sinking down into the sofa out of embarrassment for the woman.

It was the same old story though; this woman had spent year after year of her early twenties being turned down by guys because she was a little heavier than your average supermodel, and by the time she'd gotten married and had two daughters, she was so demoralised and self conscious that she only ever wore baggy black clothes with no shape whatsoever. As usual, she'd be stripped to her underwear and shoved into a tiny mirrored cupboard and forced to stare at everything she hated about herself.

It was a tough struggle for her to face those fears, but they all knew that the two women standing outside the door were infinitely worse. You never EVER messed with Trinny and Susannah. If they wanted to molest you, grope your arse, strip you naked and dress you in a clown suit, you let them.

Ianto shuddered at the thought of having to go anywhere near the two pre-Madonnas, sympathising all the more with the woman currently going through the living hell. At least they gave quite good fashion advice most of the time. Maybe if the show wasn't so formulaic it would be quite informative, but as always, they gave the woman a grand and told her to buy whatever she wanted, knowing that she was going to buy exactly what they'd just thrown out. Then they'd dive in and 'save the day' by subjecting the woman to more hell on earth, but eventually they'd give her a haircut and get her makeup done by a pro, and all the outfits would look a damn sight better.

He sighed heavily and pulled his blanket from around his shoulders, forced himself off the sofa and trudged over to the kitchen area to dump his cereal bowl in the sink. He shivered a little as he realised that his t-shirt and pyjama trousers weren't particularly effective at keeping out he chilled morning air and quickly retreated back under his blanket, resigning himself to watching more of What Not To Wear.

They were just letting the woman come out of the mirror room when he heard a choked yelp from the direction of his bedroom. He looked up and saw a man dressed in dark blue boxers and a white t-shirt. Jack. He'd completely forgotten that his boss had spent the night!

"What the hell, Ianto?!" He looked incredulously at the young man, averting his eyes from the TV.

"What? What've I done?" Ianto was a little bewildered. Sure, it wasn't primetime TV, but it wasn't THAT bad… was it?

"That! Th-That show…" He pointed at the grinning women on the screen and his face dropped into an expression of something akin to fear. Ianto immediately switched the set off and looked back at him, a question forming in his mind. "Just… Don't watch that show again."

He turned his back and shuffled off into the bedroom, Ianto frowning at his retreating back. If he wasn't going to watch his fashion show, then he was going to find out why. Standing up carefully, he pulled the blanket tighter around him and moved through his flat to the bedroom. He found Jack sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to the door, head in his hands.

"Sir?" Ianto stayed back a few feet from the bed, waiting for Jack to invite him any closer. Ianto knew something was wrong, and he didn't want to make matters worse. The only way to do that was to keep his space until Jack said otherwise. They'd only been 'together' for a few weeks, since the incident at Brecon Beacons. It was just a casual thing, but Jack occasionally stayed at his, where it was more comfortable for their usual social activities.

"Ianto…" There was a heavy sigh from Jack as he looked up at the wall in front of him and clasped his hands together.

"Jack, what's going on?" Ianto stayed exactly where he was, though he felt slightly more at ease.

"It's nothing." He took in a deep breath and turned around to look over at the young man behind him. "Just tell me you won't watch that show again."

Ianto was taken aback by how serious Jack's expression was. He was in his work role, trying to assert the power he held at the hub on him. That made him slightly annoyed; why should he let himself be ordered around in his own home? Not least by a man who had no real feelings for him.

"If you're not going to give me a reason, I don't see why I shouldn't watch whatever the hell I want, sir." Ianto's voice had an unexpected tone to it, a chill like that of cold steel. The Welshman gave Jack a final look before heading back to the living area and flicking the TV on again defiantly.

Trinny and Susannah were just scolding the woman for buying several bags of t-shirts and jeans when the screen went black again and he looked up to see Jack standing in the doorway again, his leather wrist strap on, flipped open. He folded his arms over his chest and gave Ianto a strange look. Ianto met the older man's eyes and tried not to be affected by the mix of anger and fear that was flooding them. The strangest of all was that neither of them were directed or caused by him, and Ianto knew that.

"What's going on?" He repeated, his voice was still cold, but it held little of the conviction it had contained minutes before. Jack shook his head slightly, as if chasing away an unwanted memory and moved over to the sofa, perching on the coffee table in front of it, facing Ianto. His gaze didn't waver once.

"Something happened a while ago, something that doesn't need to be discussed." Ianto kept silent as Jack started to explain, barely breathing in case he stopped and closed up again. "A group of us ended up on a series of game shows, run by robots. I managed to get put on _their_ show, but lets just say they didn't count on some of my more unusual skills when I turned up."

He let out a deep chuckle as he smiled grimly. Ianto managed to smile back, not knowing what there was to find funny. "I woke up in their studio, they insulted my Topshop jeans, stripped me down and attempted a couple horrendous outfits, and then it got weird…"

"You can tell me, Jack…" Ianto leaned forwards and put his hand gently on Jack's knee, trying to encourage the rest of his tale from him as his voice fell away. Jack's eyes fell to his hand and he swallowed, nodding slightly.

"They said it was time for the 'face-off'; Now I thought that was some cool new twist, you know, naked mud-wrestling or something, but no… They meant it literally!" Jack grimaced painfully at the memory. Ianto was slightly left in the dark, he didn't understand. He didn't know whether Jack was joking, whether he should laugh or not.

"I used one of my 'skills' on them and escaped. Afterwards… After we got Rose back, that's when everything changed, when I died that first time. When I woke up again, they were gone… both of them." He rubbed his face hard with both hands, moving them round to massage the back of his neck as he tried not to remember the feeling that gnawed its way through him for years after he was left on the game station.

"Both of who?" Ianto's voice was barely more than a whisper, slightly scared at what Jack would say.

"The logistics don't matter." Jack stood up sharply and faced away, a hand going conspicuously up to his face to rub away tears.

"They do to me, Jack, and I know they do to you." Ianto's voice was a little stronger, a little colder again. He wasn't going to let Jack treat him like some moron he picked up at a bar.

"I said they don't matter, so they don't." Jack looked over his shoulder slightly, his voice assuming his role as boss again. Ianto stood up at that, annoyed once more at the way he was being treated in his own home, reaching out and pulling Jack around by the arm.

"And I said they do!" His voice came out louder and stronger than he'd expected and Jack looked at him incredulously again.

"She's dead and I have to wait for him to come back! I have to wait to find out why the hell I can't die!" Tears were running from Jack's eyes again as he glared at Ianto. The young man felt his resolve waver a little bit under the intensity of Jack's emotions. They were quiet, staring at each other for a long time.

"How much longer do you have to wait?" Ianto's voice was quiet and respectful, he didn't want to push Jack over the edge, push him away. He was getting quite attached to the older man, even if what they had was meaningless. He watched as Jack slowly shook his head, a slight shrug taking his shoulders.

"I don't remember… One, maybe two years." His voice was resigned and the fight that had been in him slumped out of his shoulders as he continued to look at the young man. He looked long and hard into those understanding blue eyes; eyes that he somehow knew would wait for him, that would accept him back without question, should he ever disappear with the Doctor.

He made up his mind and leaned down, capturing the young man's lips in a fierce kiss, his tongue breaking past the barrier and run along Ianto's. He slipped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer, feeling Ianto's own hands weave into his hair and rest on the back of his neck, keeping the kiss strong and fiery.

Eventually, Ianto had to pull back, his lungs craving oxygen. He looked up at Jack, a little startled, and saw his trademark grin quirking the corners of his mouth up.

"I can think of a few things that I could be doing in the meantime." Jack's eyes glittered with the thoughts flashing through his brain and Ianto began to smile, pleased that Jack was back to his usual self. He'd felt flattered at Jack's confession, but it had been uncomfortable. He knew that he liked Jack, but he had no idea where they were heading, if they were even heading anywhere at all.

"I'm sure you can think of more than a few, sir." Ianto's eyes met the challenge and Jack raised an eyebrow in amusement. Without thinking twice, Jack clasped Ianto's hands in his, pulled him into another, breath taking kiss, savouring the taste of the young man's skin, the tingling warmth as Ianto's tongue ran over the roof of his mouth, the fire where their lips met.

Yes, Ianto Jones was something to enjoy whilst he waited for the Doctor to come and fix him, and he had never been one to pass on a good time. There was only one thing left to do, and both men knew precisely what it was, so when Jack started to back away into the bedroom, Ianto followed without a moment's hesitation.


	3. Ithilian

**Owner**: Ithilian

**Earned for**: Naming Competition

**Bunny's Name**: Badger

**Timeline: **Post 'Exit Wounds' 2x13

**Pairings**: Jack/Ianto (duh, it's not like I write any other ones!)

**Rating**: T/K+

**Author's Note**: This is the last of this round of plot bunnies, and I'm sorry for it taking so long to get done and dusted! I quite liked writing Ianto in this, but I have some trouble with the characterisation of Jack, I'm not so sure it works well. So, reviews are essential! Thanks

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**Disclaimer**: I own nothing, it belongs to Russel T. Davies, John Barrowman, Gareth David-Llyod and Eve Myles.

**Get Some Rest**

It had only been a few days since the deaths of Tosh and Owen, but Jack was feeling as though he'd lived through a lifetime of grief. He was so tired of hurting, of being scared for Ianto and Gwen but never for himself. He just wanted to detach himself from society and live back in the 51st century again, before he'd met Rose or the Doctor. He wanted to be a normal human being again. The only thing that stopped these thoughts was the fact that he would never have met and fallen in love with Ianto Jones if he hadn't started travelling.

The only time that Jack's mind stopping throbbing with guilt and remorse was when Ianto was holding him, kissing him, with him. He soothed Jack when he was at his worst, kept him safe from himself. Ianto did all of this without knowing the way he affected him. Jack would never let Ianto find out how much pain he was in.

There were times when Gwen and Ianto were working in the hub, trying desperately to cling to any amount of normality in the workplace, and Jack would sit in his office and watch them move around like ghosts. He always wondered why he was allowed to keep coming back to life when those around him had only one, fragile chance to live. It was a thought that had plagued him since the moment Tosh's eyes glazed over and the spark in them vanished.

On the first night, he'd stayed back at the hub. He knew it was the worst place he could be, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Without needing to say a word, Ianto had stayed with him. They'd curled up together for comfort in the sleep space below Jack' s office, and Ianto had drifted off to sleep. Jack felt slightly panicky. As soon as the light had gone off, his muscles had all tensed a little bit, his heart having to be consciously calmed down. He could feel the earth pressing down on him, the dirt in his mouth, choking him. Time after time for almost two thousand years. He was so much older than he had been when John had taken him from the rooftop, yet he didn't look a day older.

When the fear set in, he held Ianto tighter, burying his face into the young man's hair, closing his eyes against the dark. The smell and feel of Ianto was all he needed to remember he was alive and safe. Of course, he wouldn't tell Ianto that, he couldn't. He couldn't risk letting himself become any more attached to Ianto than he was at the moment, it would just end in tears.

And so it carried on. Jack kept quiet about the trauma that plagued him at night and about how he truly felt about Ianto, and the three of the tried to get on with work as usual, struggling through medical and technical problems they encountered.

They had several late night callouts in the weeks that followed; catching weevils, bringing back artefacts, simple things that could all be dealt with by three people. Jack was endlessly thankful for that, he wasn't ready to start looking for new recruits. However, by the third callout, Gwen was noticing strange differences in the Captain's behaviour.

The once proud and arrogant man was suddenly nervous and slightly unsure of himself. He didn't rush in, guns blazing, anymore, he took precautions, looking around corners and using torches to illuminate dark corners. He even jumped when a loud clang echoed from the end of an alleyway. She'd noted every odd detail about the man's behaviour, cataloguing it away for future reference. However, whilst he was may have been acting strangely, he had never once done anything to put them in danger.

Not until roughly a week after Gwen started noticing differences in his persona.

The team had been alerted to a stray weevil in the city centre, down a small side street and Ianto had deduced from his scans in the SUV that it was a bull weevil, roughly nine feet tall and, from the glucose levels in it's blood, starving. As usual, they'd all taken a canister of weevil spray, a gun and Jack had a hood to cover the creature's face with once captured.

As they climbed from the vehicle, the sound of a little girl's scream rang out and Jack felt a surge of terror flash through him. He looked down the and saw that it was extremely dark between the orange pools from the streetlights. Huddled beneath a lamp about halfway down the street was a family of four; a mother, a father, a boy of around sixteen and a little girl, no older than five years old, crying in fear.

Jack reluctantly moved forwards into the gloom, taking slow, cautious steps towards the family, trying not to alert the weevil to his presence. He could feel Gwen and Ianto moving behind him and he desperately wished he could turn round and scream at them to run back to safety, to get away from the danger in front of them.

He took another step, but froze as the creature emerged from the shadows on the opposite side of the pool of light, leering at the family, causing the little girl to scream again. It was suddenly too much for him; the darkness, the fear, the stabbing pain of loss, all of it just started to close in around him and he had to fight with his limbs to stop himself from dropping his gun and running away from the scene. He could feel Gwen's eyes on him, but he couldn't do anything, he couldn't move.

Even when the weevil took another step closer to the family, Jack could do nothing but stand and stare. He was barely aware of Gwen hissing angrily at him. The three members of Torchwood 3 stood and watched as, in slow motion, the weevil lunged for the little girl with a snarl. Jack heard someone behind him fire a bullet at the creature, but that only made it angry. However, it gave the teenage boy the distraction that he needed to dive at the creature, knocking away from his little sister.

The howls and yells of pain were haunting. They snapped Jack out of his trance, and he realised that Gwen was rushing towards the weevil, Ianto close on her heels. She fired several shots at close range and the creature fell back, snarling. Ianto took the chance to spray it in the eyes, causing it to hiss in pain and anger. Jack watched at the Welshman pulled a needle of sedative from his suit jacket and injected it into the weevils neck, using a bread tag to tie its hands together.

Gwen was trying her best to help the teenage boy lying curled up on the floor, blood pouring from a wound in his neck and several gashes across his chest and stomach. She shot Jack a look that could kill before pulling out her mobile and calling an ambulance. Hopefully the boy would survive, but he'd already lost copious amounts of blood, the red liquid staining the floor around him. Ianto knelt beside her and clamped his hand over the boy's neck, stemming the flow of blood as much as he could. Gwen got up and scowled at Jack again before turning to the family, all of which were cowering away from them fearfully. The mother was sobbing, from shock and despair, the father cradling the daughter and staring blankly at his son's injured form.

She handed them all a small white pill and some water from the bag slung over her shoulder. They all accepted the retcon and swallowed it down without hesitation, lapping up the story Gwen started to feed them about their son being attacked by muggers with a vicious dog. Slowly, they slid to the floor and drifted off to sleep, the little girl curled up with her thumb in her mouth, as if she was simply napping in her bed.

Jack finally managed to make his legs move, with much cajoling and threatening, and pulled the hood from his jacket and tied it over the weevil's head, hoisting it up on his shoulder and carrying it back to the SUV to dump it in the back. He could hear sirens going off, getting closer, as the ambulance rushed to the aid of the teenager. He made his way slowly back to the others and found that Ianto had already convinced the young man to take the pill, one mixed with a lot less sedative, so he'd be awake in about ten minutes time. Jack watched as his lover sat and soothed the injured boy, telling him it was alright, that everything would be fine. The teenager believed every word, and drifted off into a slight doze within minutes. If only Ianto could do the same for him.

The paramedics soon turned up and the family were taken to the hospital. The injured boy was taken in the first and the family were taken in a second, giving them room to work on the boy, to keep him alive long enough to get him proper help. Jack watched as the vehicles faded into the distance, the lights becoming a blur in the rush of Cardiff traffic.

Jack hadn't trusted himself to say anything, leaving Gwen and Ianto to explain the situation to the paramedics and clear up any confusion. He couldn't trust his tongue not to mess up completely, like his body had. Eventually, the three of them climbed back into the SUV, Gwen sitting in the back, Ianto in the passenger seat, silence enveloping them as they drove back to the hub. The silence continued until they were back inside, Gwen at her workstation and Ianto and Jack heading into his office.

Jack was just about to step through after the young man when Gwen pulled him sharply around and slapped him across the face. He staggered backwards in shock, his back hitting the doorframe. He looked up, stunned, to see the woman's face flooded with anger and annoyance.

"You're lucky that boy's going to live!" her fists were clenched and she stood squarely in front of him. Jack couldn't think of a reply, he just stood there, looking uncomfortable. "You stood there and let that weevil attack him! You just stood there and watched!"

"Gwen, please-" He tried to explain himself, to some degree, but she cut across him.

"No, Jack! That boy could've died because you weren't paying attention to what was going on!" She stepped towards him and pointed her finger at him. Jack cowered away from her a little and she glared at him.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't-" She shook her head in disgust and Jack swallowed audibly. She was still too close for comfort, the feeling of earth pressing through his throat making the panic rise up a little more as he failed to find enough air to breathe properly. He tried to push her away but she reached back to slap him again. He closed his eyes and turned his head away, ready for the strike, but the attack never came.

He finally opened his eyes again to see what had happened and found Gwen staring at Ianto, the man coolly looking back at her, a warning in his eyes. It was then that he noticed the young's hand wrapped around Gwen's raised arm. He'd stopped her.

"Gwen, go home. It's been a long night and we all need to get some sleep." She looked at him for a moment longer, gauging whether she could start an argument with him. Obviously, she realised that he wasn't going to back down, and wrenched her arm free, grabbing her bag and coat from her desk and storming out of the hub.

The siren had long since died away by the time Jack brought himself to look at the young man. He knew that if he did, he'd buckle and all the things he'd stopped himself from telling Ianto would tumble out. He covered his eyes with his hands and tried to stop the feeling of helplessness from taking him over again. He felt something touch his cheek and brought his hands down a bit, finding Ianto standing closer to him, one hand gently holding his face. Jack looked into the trusting blue eyes and finally broke down, pulling his lover roughly into a hug, arms wrapped tightly around his neck and shoulders. Ianto held him close, strong arms closing around Jack in a way that made him feel safe.

He couldn't express what Ianto made him feel, but he knew that he didn't have to. He knew that the young man didn't need words. The way he gently pulled away and lead him out of the hub and to his car told him that. Ianto drove back to his home and lead Jack into the building and up through the stairwells to his fourth floor flat. Jack followed him silently, holding on to the back of Ianto's jacket with one hand.

The young man lead him gently through to the bedroom, sitting him down and pulling his shoes and socks off, tossing them over towards the door. Jack met his eyes and a look passed between them, one of understanding and trust that neither had really shared with the other before. It gave Jack the willpower to finish undressing himself down to his undershirt and boxers before letting Ianto tuck him into bed.

A few minutes later, Ianto had changed out of his suit and flicked the bedroom light off, making his way over to the bed and slipping under the covers in front of Jack, winding his arms around the older man and resting his forehead against the crook of Jack's neck.

"Thank you, Ianto…" Jack's voice was quiet, one of his hands absently running through the young man's hair, the other holding him as close as he dared.

"Get some rest, Jack." The gentle voice was accompanied the young man moving closer to him, his legs wrapping around Jack's, his body pressing a little harder against him, showing him he was there and that he wasn't leaving. He wanted to talk to the young man, but he knew now wasn't the time. When the time did come for Jack to talk to Ianto about what had happened, he knew he'd be able to.


	4. Lyra the Badwolf II

**Owner**: Lyra the Badwolf  
**Earned for**: Naming Competition: Final Winner  
**Bunny's Name**: Fabio  
**Timeline**: AU set sometime after 2x01 before 2x04  
**Pairings**: Jack/Ianto (yumm :D)  
**Rating**: T/K+

**Author's Note**: Yeeeeeaaaaah, final plot bunny for the naming competition! I must say, I want to hand out many many more, but I need to work some reasons to reward them into Jaffa Cakes.. I think that may be a 'thing' now.. Every Part earns a plot bunny for something or other? The one I had in Part 4 nobody knew, so I couldn't give one away for that.. I think I'll also start awarding certain number comments too, that should be fun!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this (Lyra especially!) Comments are Love

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**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything below, characters and locations belong to Russel T. Davies etc.

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Save Us by Feeder

_**Face against the ground  
**__**Torn, but you can stand  
**__**Your will is strong, but you have now  
**__**I know you can save us**_

"Jack…? Jack, please, wake up… Please, Jack… Come on, wake up…"

Someone was speaking, murmuring to him. He knew he was in a place where he couldn't reply, the world was dark around him and he was floating, just floating through the nothingness that overwhelmed his senses.

"Jack… please, wake up, Jack…"

He felt the sensation of someone touching his shoulder, but he knew that if he looked, there would be nothing. In this place, there was nothing but an endless wash of pain and emotions. There was nothing physical to hold onto nothing until-

The pain ripped through him, like a surge of electricity through his body, burning every screaming nerve ending in his body, starting from his toes and pulsing upwards until it forced it's way through his mind like searing fire that could do nothing but burn. With a gasp of long awaited air and a flood of fear and alarm, he found himself awake, the nothingness filled with objects, floors, walls. _Substance_. It took him a moment to work out what was going on, why he was lying face down on a cold concrete floor, newly resurrected.

Memories knocked through the haze and he leapt to his feet, stumbling slightly as he realised how completely alone he was. There was no one, his team wasn't there. Ianto wasn't there. _Ianto_…

He headed forwards, ignoring the screaming weakness in his legs as he pulled his gun out of the holster and headed forwards. He could hear raised voices; an angry Londoner and a calm, collected Welshman. He assumed the two women were leaving Owen and Ianto to argue again. Smart move, he thought, smiling grimly as he picked up his pace and began running to the door at the back of the cavernous warehouse he'd woken up in.

He skidded to a halt outside the door, listening briefly to the voices before charging in.

"If you hadn't decided to shoot an unknown object, it wouldn't have exploded and killed Jack, leaving us in _this_ mess." Curt, precise, slightly sarcastic: Ianto.

"How was I to know that something, which I can only describe as an inside out animal, would explode?" Irritated, stubborn, obnoxious: Owen. The memory of the writhing mass of bones, flesh and organs flashed unbidden into Jack's mind. "How much longer will it take for him to bloody well come and get us anyway, tea-boy?"

"How am I supposed to know that, Owen? If you're hoping for Super Jack to come charging through to door, your luck might be out." Ianto's tonewas dry, something which never failed to make Jack smile, he loved it in the young man. He took the words as his cue to enter, gun blazing.

He kicked the door open and fired at the two creatures standing in the middle of the small room, picking them clean off and watching their bodies fall to the floor, lifeless. They weren't a race that deserved pity or life, scavengers and pillagers of the universe, burning and slaughtering as they went. Then he looked around at the four people cuffed to the wall opposite him.

"Someone called?" He saw caught the look in Ianto's eyes and grinned as the young man shook his head in disbelief.

_**Faith is on your side  
**__**Fears you can't deny  
**__**It's burned a hole, right through your soul  
**__**But I know you can save us  
**__**Save us now**_

That night, Jack sat in his office, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his eyes, surrendering himself to the aching pain that throbbed through his mind and body from the day's experiences. He groaned loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose as forgotten experiences drifted behind his eyes in the quiet and peace of the day.

-The bodies lying in the hub, the bullet holes in the unsuspecting heads and hearts, blood dripping through the grating into the water collected in the basin. The pain and fear coursing through his veins as he followed the track around to the man sitting on the opposite side of the room to him. "What happened?" to be replied with nothing that made any sense in his mind. A last, pleading grasp at holding onto the man's sanity and with a crack of sound that reverberated endlessly around the cavernous room, everyone was gone.

He looked around the hub each morning and tried to forget, to stop the images of Owen, Tosh and Gwen lying on the floor, himself sitting where Alex had sat and Ianto discovering them. Only in that scenario, he turned the gun on his lover as well, ending it for everyone else, unable to stop staring at the cold, empty gaze in the once animated blue eyes of the broken body. Accusing.

A knock on the door disrupted his thoughts.

"Jack?" He looked up at his name and saw the eyes he almost dreaded seeing – _accusing me, deprived of their life, open and glazed_ – but smiled instead, welcoming him in. "You okay? You seemed a little distant."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking some things over." He pushed the matter aside as Ianto walked over, passing him a coffee mug as he perched on the edge of the desk, looking off into space as he blew gently on his own drink. It was enough to send dizzy shivers down Jack's spine, something which he appreciated a great deal. When he managed to recover, he placed his own mug down and pulled Ianto's from his grasp, kissing him longingly for a moment before withdrawing reluctantly and handing him the mug back.

"Thank you, Jack." Ianto smiled at him, a small, mysterious smile that was usually reserved for times when he had done something hugely significant. "I don't know what we'd do without you saving us on such a regular basis."

Jack chuckled and picked up his mug again, taking a sip before chuckling. "You lot do tend to get yourselves in a bit of a mess, I'll admit."

"Yeah, I know… Honestly though, it was Owen's fault this time." Jack snorted and they both started laughing, enjoying each other's company as they finished their coffees. "You know, Jack, I was thinking I could show you just how much I appreciate your efforts later on."

Jack cocked an eyebrow and smiled crookedly. "I like the sound of that, Mr. Jones."

Ianto just smiled in reply and took the now empty mugs back through to the kitchen area, pleased that he would get to spend some time alone with Jack that evening. It had been a while since they'd had the luxury.

_**Don't say goodbye  
**__**I know you can save us  
**__**Don't wave goodbye  
**__**But nothing can break us  
**__**Don't say goodbye  
**__**I know you can save us  
**__**You can bring us back again**_

The heat, the smell, the taste… everything about Ianto dragged Jack into the moment so badly that he lost himself completely. A night with Ianto was more therapeutic that a year lying on a beach on some tropical island. A night where all you had to do was devote yourself completely to someone else and receive them in return.

However, that night, lying tangled in Ianto's arms after they were both too tired to carry on, made Jack's heart ache, no matter how happy he was. It was this complete state of bliss which made him feel more guilty than during the daylight hours. It was then, so close that their heartbeats merged together, seemingly synchronised, that Jack remembered that one day, this would all be over. He couldn't give Ianto forever, he couldn't give his team forever.

Eventually, he'd be too late to save them, or they'd finally have enough of him, determined to have their own lives before Torchwood destroyed them. Jack was so engrained in the institution that he was practically part of the physical make up. Leaving simply wasn't an option for him.

With a heavy, world weary sigh, he disentangled himself and pushed himself up, swinging his legs round so he could sit on the edge of the bed. He sat for a moment before he heard the body beside him stir.

"Jack?" The voice was husky, sleep filled and slightly confused.

"Ianto, I've got to go, I've got to head back." He was about to stand up and find his clothes when a hand wrapped itself around his wrist. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning round to meet the blue eyes.

"What's wrong, Jack?" His voice was suddenly more awake, concern echoing in the syllables as their eyes connected.

"I can't… I've just got to go, Ianto, I'm so sorry." The hand around his wrist didn't loosen. "Ianto. I've got to leave. Now. If I don't, I'll never be able to let you go."

"Then don't." The words were soft, understanding, matching the warm, caring eyes. He so desperately wanted to stay, so badly wanted to give Ianto everything he could, everything the young man deserved. _But being with me will only get him killed that little bit faster…_ his thoughts stabbed in his mind, trying to win the battle against his heart.

The struggle was decided as he felt warm arms wrap around him and pull him back down under the covers, holding him tightly, showing him that he wasn't going anywhere. _For now, I'll stay for now…_ his mind conceded, flickering away to no more than a shadow against the peace and calm that he felt in the arms of his lover.

"We need you, Jack. I need you." He felt Ianto's head resting underneath his chin and smiled as his breath warmed the skin of his neck. "Without you, who'd save us all? Who'd come in a save the day, right at the last minute? I need you, Jack…"

The words trailed off and Jack smiled, adjusting his arms to get a better hold on the sleeping body. It was times like that that he never wanted to listen to his head again. If Jack had his way, his heart would rule him for the rest of his foreseeable life.

_**Born to be as one  
**__**Turn to face the sun  
**__**Your will is strong, but you have now  
**__**I know you can save us  
**__**Save us now**_

The next day, the team was called out to investigate some strange tracks found in a local forest, accompanied by the disappearance of a large number of the local wildlife. The local _predatory_ wildlife. Jack had laughed loudly for a long time when they got the call, though he soon acknowledged the potential threat to Cardiff.

As they stood in a clearing, Ianto took the time to watch Jack. In the sunlight, glittering through the leaves in a golden, dappled glow, he noted how comfortable he seemed to be in his role. He stood with a faint smile on his face and his hands in his pockets, face turned up to look at the trees as the others conducted scans and tests.

"Okay, I'm stumped. No DNA here that I can identify. Quite frankly, as long as it leaves me alone, I'm perfectly happy to let it carry on chomping on the local foxes." Owen sat down heavily on a fallen tree, shoving his scanner back in his pack. Jack just snorted and turned to him, snapping out of his tranquil aura.

"Right, I'll remind you of that when several mangled and mutilated corpses turn up on your autopsy table." Jack raised an eyebrow and smirked at the look of disgust on the medic's face. "Didn't think so."

Owen just shot him a withering look and sat back. He wasn't going any further. Ianto decided to make himself useful and headed over to where Tosh was conducting scans for possible alien tech. As he approached they started to have a murmured conversation about the various merits of a system that could do scans like this automatically, without the need to wander around in the brush to get there.

The only warning Ianto got was a low, feral snarl before something large lunged at him from a bank of bushes to one side of them. He quickly grabbed hold of Tosh and spun her away, shielding her from the beast and ignoring the lancing pain that tore through his shoulder as talons found their way into and through his skin.

Less than a second later, there was a loud shot and a piercing whine of pain from the creature as it backed away. Ianto didn't need to look round to see that Jack was pointing his gun squarely at the beast's head. All he could do was grit his teeth against the pain flaring in his shoulder and keep Tosh covered as Owen crept up behind it and shot it full of sedative.

The young man waited until he heard the heavy _thump_ of the stocky body hitting the floor and released his grip on the woman. He looked down at her and received a grateful smile. When she noticed the tension in his face, she acted straight away, eager to return the favour and make sure he was looked after properly.

"Owen, Ianto needs you." She called as she headed towards the clearing to fetch the medic. Ianto turned around and saw Jack staring at him, just a few feet away, gun still gripped loosely in his hand. His expression looked tortured as Ianto beckoned him over.

"Jack?" Ianto asked, his voice quiet as the captain approached. Jack ran a hand lightly over the young man's face, seemingly to make sure he was in one piece, his eyes avoiding Ianto's at all costs. The young man was about to say something else when Owen grabbed his uninjured arm and yanked him away, back into the clearing.

As Owen took up his reluctant work on Ianto's shoulder, Jack stood on the edge of the clearing, just inside the shadows, watching closely. When Owen pushed him up and shoved him towards the SUV, he looked back to find Jack, wanting to show him he was okay, but he had already snapped back into his usual persona, the unconscious creature slung over his shoulder to dump in the back of the SUV.

_**Don't say goodbye  
**__**I know you can save us  
**__**Don't wave goodbye  
**__**But nothing can brake us  
**__**Don't say goodbye  
**__**I know you can save us  
**__**You can bring us back again  
**__**You can bring us back again **_

_**Face against the ground  
**__**Torn, but you can stand  
**__**Your will is strong, but you have now  
**__**I know you can save us**_

That evening, after everyone had gone home, Ianto went to find Jack. He'd spent the rest of the afternoon being prodded and poked by Owen, injections and stitches galore as the three six inch gashes had been sewn up. They'd already begun to bruise, spreading like an oil spill across his pale skin. Something which Jack had been quick to avoid looking at.

The captain had stayed in his office since they'd returned, only leaving once to make sure Ianto was okay as he heard a particularly loud welsh curse from the autopsy bay. At the dark glowers passing between the two men, Jack had decided to stay away, something that had eaten away at Ianto ever since. No matter how strong he was on the outside, he was still a little shaken up and he'd needed Jack to be there for him, to tell him it was okay at that it was safe now.

It was with that in mind that he walked into Jack's office, finding him standing by the safe in the corner of his office. He turned round and smiled as Ianto entered, heading over to him.

"You okay now?" he asked. The look in the young man's eyes stopped him in his tracks_. Not good… this is precisely why I was telling you to leave earlier!_ His mind yelled at him. The blue eyes were echoing hurt and anger at him, something which made his stomach turn.

"Yes, thanks. Owen did a good job." Ianto replied, his voice short and icy.

"I'm sorry, Yan…" was all Jack could think of to say.

"What the hell for?" He looked sceptical.

"It was my fault, I should-" Jack began but he was cut off as something lunged towards him and impacted hard with his jaw, sending him sprawling backwards. He lost his footing and stumbled backwards a few steps before he could brace himself against his desk with one hand, rubbing his bruised jaw with the other. He could already taste his blood in his mouth as he straightened up. He didn't even dare to look at Ianto. He didn't want to see what was going on in his eyes.

"Don't you dare say that again." He winced as a strong hand gripped his chin and tilted it upwards, his eyes meeting with the fierce gaze of the younger man. "Don't you even think about apologising for this."

"But your shoulder-" Jack's voice was choked as he tried, and failed, to look away.

"-isn't life threatening. It'll heal. The human body tends to do that when damaged." Ianto's eyes were still fierce, but the venom in his voice had disappeared, replaced with an amused affection. Then he leaned forwards and kissed Jack gently, apologising for hitting him. He felt Jack's arms around his waist and relaxed, knowing that he was going to be okay, at least for the time being. Eventually, Jack pulled away and looked at his lover again.

"Have the others all gone home now?" He asked, tilting his head to one side a little.

"Yeah, a while ago actually. I was seeing how long it took you to notice. Obviously your hero senses don't work beyond the scope of sensing imminent death to your team." Ianto gave him his usual dry, crooked smile as he replied.

"Well then, why don't we head off. I'll see if I can't widen my skills to the field of getting us a takeout." He grinned and leaned forward to kiss Ianto again, more playfully than the last time.

"As long as it doesn't mess with your ability to save the day at the last possible moment, it sounds good." Jack laughed, his eyes glittering in the same way that they normally did. A warm flood of relief pulsed through Ianto at the sight and he let himself be dragged out of the hub and back home.

_**Don't say goodbye  
I**__** know you can save us  
**__**Don't wave goodbye  
**__**But nothing can brake us  
**_**_Don't say goodbye  
_**_**I know you can save us  
**__**You can bring us back again **_

_**Don't say goodbye  
**__**I know you can save us  
**__**Don't wave goodbye  
**__**But nothing can brake us  
**__**Don't say goodbye  
**__**I know you can save us  
**__**You can bring us back again **_

_**You can bring us back again**_


End file.
